Samantha Power doesn't mince words when she talks about Donald Trump. "That @realDonaldTrump thought it a good idea to release this transcript is a staggering testament to the endemic corruption of his administration. He and his close advisers have lost the ability to even see what’s incriminating."

In a recent interview with CNN host Ana Cabrera, Power stated, “Here is an example where the president is blatantly extorting a foreign leader, a foreign leader who is governing a country that has been invaded by Russia, a country that interfered in our election previously, and our president is trying to advance his own political welfare rather than look out for an ally.”

Samantha Power will be the keynote speaker at the 2019 Ann Richards Dinner Friday, October 25th, 7:00 p.m. at the Delta Marriott Allen Hotel. This annual dinner brings together hundreds of Democrats from across the DFW Metroplex to support our work to transform and improve Collin County, elect Democratic candidates, and turn Texas blue.

As the impeachment proceedings unfold, Power's insight into the Trump administration becomes even more important. Don't miss this opportunity to meet and hear Samantha Power.

Leading the list of her many accomplishments, Power was the United States Ambassador to the United Nations under President Barack Obama from 2013 to 2017. Called by Forbes "a powerful crusader for U.S foreign policy as well as human rights and democracy" when it named her one of the "World's 100 Most Powerful Women," Ambassador Power has also been named one of TIME's "100 Most Influential People" and one of Foreign Policy's "Top 100 Global Thinkers." A Pulitzer Prize winning author, Power is the Anna Lindh Professor of the Practice of Global Leadership and Public Policy at Harvard Kennedy School and the William D. Zabel '61 Professor of Practice in Human Rights, Harvard Law School.

As a known fighter for LGBT and women's rights, atrocity prevention, and combating human trafficking, Ambassador Power is set to provide sharp and powerful insight and inspiration for Democrats across the Metroplex at this year's Ann Richards Dinner. Don't miss the 2019 Ann Richards Dinner.

Sponsorship and tickets for the Ann Richards Dinner are available here.

Who is Samantha Power?

What is “Money in Politics?”

by Ann Grannan, CCDP Events Chair

We hear lots of folks say, “LET’S GET MONEY OUT OF POLITICS!”

But rarely do we hear them say, “WHY is there money in politics?”

Until you “follow the money,” that question will remain elusive and we will still need (yes, NEED) tons of "money in politics.”

If you have ever run for office, then you know it takes a lot of money, no matter how small the office. Even a Precinct Chair will have to spend money if there is another person who wants to run against them in the primary.

When I say a lot of money, I mean a minimum of $1,500 to just get on a ballot, unless you collect 500 unique signatures on a petition.

So WHY do we allow a candidate who can afford $1,500 to simply buy their way onto the ballot, when the less wealthy have to scrounge for signatures? Why should anyone get on the ballot without a signed petition from at least 10% of the registered voters in their district?

But that’s peanuts compared to the $25,000+ required to run for something like Justice of the Peace. Or $50,000+ for a state Congress position…etc.

Then, you hit the Big Mama that is running for POTUS and that takes literally millions.

WHY? WHERE DOES THAT MONEY GO???

Ok, let’s figure out where that money goes.

At every level of office, most of it goes to advertising - print and digital messaging, billboards, events, outreach (charity functions), travel expenses, office expenses, etc.

At the higher levels, candidates must pay for campaign office space and staff in multiple places, plus rallies, meetings, billboards, TV and Radio. That’s where the big $$ gets spent.

When it comes to the political parties, only two of them have enough money coming in that they can hold huge conventions for their delegates to elect a nominee to represent their party. These events are huge spectacles for the nation, so lots of TV channels will show them for free (for the Party), but will charge the advertisers millions. So there is a ton of money that flows around everything involved in putting on a National Convention.

In October, 2019, one candidate started pushing to try to block corporate donations earmarked for the 2020 Democratic National Convention in Wisconsin. Where will the funding for the convention come from, then? Donors to the DNC?

The Democratic National Convention for 2020 will be one of the most important of our lifetimes, where we send delegates from our Democratic Parties in every county and state to vote for our Nominee for POTUS. This event in 2016 cost upwards of $127 million.

If we reject all corporate funding, then the average Democrat will have to up their donations to the DNC by about $1,000 this year to cover the convention in Wisconsin next year.

So, how do we combat “money in politics” when that money is going almost 100% to promotion, advertising, and selection of our candidates?

We can all stop the flow of money into our candidates’ campaigns, but we know what effect that will have. And if corporate donors (this should include Labor Unions) are not allowed to help put on the Democratic Convention in Wisconsin and it’s sub-par because we have to cut funding, what will we look like to the nation?

And without big donors, how many Democratic or Independent candidates will be able to go up against the dark money and deep, oligarch pockets of the GOP?

Thanks to the efforts of a host of wonderful candidates, volunteers, and donors our county party has grown phenomenally in the five years that I have served as County Chair. We’ve gone from being in decline to being one of the fastest growing and most respected county parties in the state, and making the county competitive for Democrats.

I've heard from a lot of folks who value the progress and are uncomfortable with changing leadership in what will undoubtedly be the most important election of our lives. And for myself, I have been asking candidates, volunteers, and donors to give 150% through next November. I can't ask that of them without being willing to step forward myself. So I am running for one more term as your County Chair.

Our work is not finished. We are preparing for November 2020 and continuing to start new initiatives to grow the party. Our largest ever coordinated campaign is already in progress. A new major donor program is yielding results with this week's Ann Richards Dinner. And we're starting a leadership training series for party and club leaders in November.

There will be only one candidate on your March 3rd primary ballot who has proven that they have the leadership skills to continue growing the party and turn the county blue. If that matters to you I will greatly appreciate your support.

To hear more about what we’ve done and where we’re headed, please come to my re-election campaign kickoff on Saturday, November 9th at 4:00 p.m. at Café Del Rio in Allen. [
Map]
Please sign up here.

Let’s win!

Mike Rawlins, County Chair

The Collin County Democratic Partyis happy to publish the initial announcement of candidacy of any candidate seeking a nomination or party office that will appear on the March 3, 2020 Primary Election ballot. This does not imply endorsement by the party.

McKinney Fall Festival

Come have fun on Saturday, October 26th from from 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Wear a spooky costume, if you feel like it. Candidates are welcome to bring their volunteers and hand out literature. We'll be located at TUPPS Brewery, 721 Anderson St, McKinney, TX 75069 [Map] Volunteers can sign up athttp://txdp.cc/70e46.

Constitutional Amendment and Special Election

Early Voting is now underway for the
November 5th Special Election.
Click here to find a polling place nearest you. The last day to early vote is
November 1st.

To find a polling place on Election Day,
click here. The link will also show wait times at the polling stations. Collin County Registered Voters may vote at the Election Day Voting Center.

Election Administration Volunteers Needed

Would you like to be engaged in the coming record-breaking Collin County Democratic Primary? We need volunteers who will work with party staff in administering the March 3 Primary and May 26 Runoff Elections. Activities will include recruiting election workers, processing candidate filing petitions, double-checking ballot proofs, scheduling training, answering questions from workers and voters, supporting the district or county conventions and a myriad of other tasks.

Please respond if you can contribute 2 or 20 hours per week (or anything in between). Particularly welcome will be people who can be “on call” for peak workloads, such as receipt of multiple candidate petitions or quick turnaround ballot proofing.

﻿Work will begin this November and continue through June of 2020.

Election administration volunteers may also become paid polling place workers when voting is underway. Volunteers may get preference for some of the better 2020 polling place assignments as well as build qualifications for applying for paid administration work in the 2022 or future cycles.

Please join us November 2nd at 10:00 a.m. for this important training opportunity! This is a ZOOM web/phone conference-based instruction presented by the ADA Resource Center based in Houston. It is designed to help participants understand the most common needs and how to accommodate them. ASL Interpreter and closed captioning will be provided. Time will be available for Q&A.

Title III: Accommodating Persons with Disabilities in Public Settings & Activities

We're ready and we need you! The time has come to start knocking doors and talking to voters! Grab some coffee or a protein pack and let's get walking and knocking!

Canvassing is the best way to get real contact with voters and we need your help to make this happen!

Please meet us at the Starbucks located at 1121 E. Spring Creek Pkwy in Plano [Map] at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 26th.Sign-up here.

Meet Lorenzo Sanchez, hosted by Equality for Everyone!

Equality for Everyone is hosting a Meet and Greet for Lorenzo Sanchez for House District 67 in Frisco! Equality For Everyone is a non-profit benefiting Women and Transgendered individuals in Bangladesh and Lorenzo is proud to stand with Equality for Everyone and the fight for equal justice.

Please join us along with local elected leaders, activists and volunteers on Sunday, October 27th in Frisco at 6:00 p.m. and learn how you can get involved with the local community to make a lasting impact.

Light food and refreshments will be available. Address provided upon RSVP.

Meet Jenna Royal with Vickie Parker -- DATE CHANGE!!

You're invited to meet with Jenna Royal at the home of Vickie Parker and get a campaign update. The event is FREE to attend, but registration is required so as not to exceed capacity.Register Here.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE DATE HAS CHANGED TO: November 9, 2019 at 2:00 p.m.

Plano Area Moms Demand Action November Meeting

The Plano Area Moms Demand Action group will Talk Turkey about Gun Violence myths and prevention at our November 9th meeting. We will meet at 2:30 p.m. at Grace Avenue United Methodist Church located at 3521 Main Street in Frisco. [Map] We are a non-partisan, gun violence prevention group full of liberal and progressive members with a sprinkling of gun sense conservatives. Please RSVP on ourFacebook Eventif you can join us.

Minnie's Food Pantry Thanksgiving Food Drive Challenge

Plano Area Democrats (PAD) Club is challenging the other Democraticclubs to meet or exceed the cash donations of $1,060 PAD members gave to Minnie’s Food Pantry on Saturday – meaning that 22 families that will get a Thanksgiving meal! Note – This doesn’t include the canned goods that were brought to the meeting.

What is Needed

$15 for a Turkey OR,

$50 for a Thanksgiving meal for a family

(Make checks payable to “Minnie’s Food Pantry” with “Thanksgiving” in the memo.)

While shopping, please add one or more of these items to your food cart:

Learn how to reach the traditionally unreached blue voter, analyze the 2018 blue wave in North Texas, get a 2020 Election preview and understand the political strategy of the 2020 census. Any Democrat or candidate interested in turning out the base that you didn’t know you had in the 2020 election should attend.

The whole family is invited to come make some new friends, hang out with some people you might know, and learn some ways you can help turn HD89 Blue in 2020. We have invited County-Wide Candidates and candidates local to HD89 too.

There is a lot to do in one short year before Election Day in 2020 when we replace Candy Noble as our House District 89 Representative to the State Legislature. We will help to finally turn Collin County BLUE this cycle by turning HD89 BLUE!

Drinking Liberally and Living Liberally are informal, inclusive progressive social groups. Raise your spirits while you raise your glass, and share ideas while you share a pitcher. Drinking Liberally gives like-minded, left-leaning individuals a place to talk politics. You don't need to be a policy expert and this isn't a book club - just come and learn from peers, trade jokes, vent frustration and hang out in an environment where it's not taboo to talk politics.

While drinking liberally, always remember to drink responsibly, and make liberal use of designated drivers. Drinking and driving is reckless and irresponsible, like a neocon war or corporatist tax cut. Liberals, don't do it!